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On Self Love

This Valentine's Day, Vow To Love Yourself First.

Introducing our new H&B Life column, On Self Love, written by forthcoming author and self-love enthusiast, Reanne.

I’m a sucker for Valentine’s Day. I love the hearts, the chocolate, the jewellery (obviously) and the anticipation of what just might be the perfect date with my perfect guy.

I even have special Valentine’s Day outfits in my closet: a magenta and white heart-print blouse, a colour-block shirt that boldly dares to pair red with pink, and a pair of fuchsia Vivienne Westwood pumps decorated with a flamboyant red heart on each toe.

But here’s the thing: In my 27 years, I can count on two fingers Valentine’s Days that have lived up to my expectations. One of them was simply with my BFF and involved multiple pitchers of sangria. The other? Well that’s not exactly blog-talk.

The rest have been a bust, including mascara-stained tears, a car accident, and getting catfished before "catfishing" was a thing. More often than not, I’ve spent the most romantic day of the year alone, eating pizza or cupcakes (usually both), and watching reruns of SATC.

So this year, I’m saving my boyfriend from the roses that cost more than a new statement necklace. More importantly, I’m saving myself from the uncomfortable and under-appreciated special occasion negligee.

Instead, I’m vowing to love myself this Valentine's day.

In a world where the beauty industry relies on our insecurities, where real life is Photoshopped and filtered and where we’re constantly being criticized, scrutinized and manipulated into thinking we’re not enough, self-love isn’t only an important aspect of self-care, but it’s also an act of rebellion.

Loving yourself doesn't just equate to getting a monthly mani and pedi at your local salon (though you should continue to do that if it makes you feel good). To love yourself is to appreciate your unique brand of beauty and recognize your myriad gifts. It’s about saying “no” to comparisons and realizing you are perfect exactly as you are. It’s about never again having to question your self-worth.

It’s about making the time and space in your life to take care of yourself, celebrate yourself and — most importantly — honor yourself and the divine being you truly are.

Wherever you are in your life, single or engaged, married or divorced, in a long-term partnership or still playing the field, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that the greatest happily-ever-after comes from falling in love with yourself first.